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Elmer Dixson Photographic Collection

Elmer was in his mid 30's when he became the chief officer of the 3rd Photo Reconnaissance Squadron of the 73rd Bomb Wing of the 20th Air Force stationed in Saipan during World War II. His incredible collection consists mainly of official military photos as well as a few personal photos. Below are descriptions of just a few of the photos that can be viewed at the museum.

Initial Blast of an Atomic Bomb Underwater Test, July 1946

A navy destroyer stands on end at the base of the mushroom cloud resulting from an underwater atomic bomb detonation. From 1946 until 1958, about 66 nuclear weapons tests were performed in the Eniwetok and Bikini Atolls in the Marshall Islands about 2500 miles southwest of Hawaii. The tests were intended to study the impact of nuclear weapons on ships, equipment, and material. The first tests in the summer of 1946 were code-named 'Operation Crossroads' and were conducted by a joint task force comprised of Army, Navy, and civilian scientific personnel. Islanders were evacuated before testing began and it was decades before the atolls could be safely inhabited again due to radioactive contaminants. Between 1972-1974, many Bikinians returned to their homeland after the United States announced Bikini was safe. Four years later the US asked the Bikinians to leave due to high levels of radioactivity showing up in foods grown on the island. Bikinians have still not been able to return safely to their land although a massive cleanup effort was begun in 1997. Over the years the US has spent over $450 million on medical care, food supplies, environmental cleanup, and funds for resettlement for all Marshallese as compensation. Although these numbers may seem large, it's a drop in the bucket compared to the $10 billion the US spent on cleanup of only one US nuclear site (Hanford). Part of the $450 million includes a $150 million trust fund set up by the US in 1986 as a result of a Compact of Free Association between the United States and the Marshall Islands. The compact provides economic aid to the Marshallese and ensures the US continuous access to the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll/Kwajalein Missile Range.

Hiroshima, Japan - Pre-Strike and Post-Strike Photos

The 1st atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima by the United States during World War II when Harry S. Truman was president. The bomb was made of uranium and nicknamed Little Boy. It was dropped on Hiroshima by the Enola Gay, a Boeing B-29 bomber, at 8:15am on August 6, 1945. An estimated 90,000 to 100,000 people were killed immediately. By the end of December 1945, the death count reached approximately 140,000. For more information concerning the decision to drop the atomic bomb, visit the online Truman Presidential Museum & Library.

Nagasaki, Japan - Pre-Strike and Post-Strike Photos

A 2nd atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki at 11:02am on August 9, 1945. This bomb was made of plutonium, nicknamed Fat Man, and was a much more explosive bomb (22 kilotons of TNT as opposed to 13) than the one dropped on Hiroshima. However, the destruction was not as vast as at Hiroshima due to Nagasaki's mountainous topography. An estimated 70,000 people perished by the end of December 1945 as a result of the bombing.

Photos of Incendiary strikes by the 73rd Bomb Wing's B-29 Bombers

Under command of the 20th Air Force, the 73rd Bomb Wing was stationed at Isley Field, Saipan, in the Marianas islands. They were assigned the task of destroying Japan's aircraft industry in a series of high-altitude, daylight precision attacks. Many combat missions were flown beginning with the first B-29 raid on Tokyo, November 24, 1944. The flight from Saipan to Japan was a long one--it took 15 hours to cover the trip from Saipan to Tokyo and return. Several Japanese cities besides Tokyo were targeted by the 73rd Bomb Wing during World War II including Nagoya, Osaka, Tachikawa, Yokohama, and Kobe.